Well, you know, we all want to change the world.
Here’s what I’m planning for 2014.
Less internet: What? Really? Yes. But not like you think. I’m not going on some crazy digital detox or anything. Because oh, my, I love the web. But somehow, the signal to noise ratio in my digital diet got out of whack in the last few years.
It’s my own fault — I said yes to all those friend requests and added that Twitter list (hoo boy, that was a mistake). I got fooled into personalizing social media and felt bad about turning it off. As a result, I’m paying too much attention to the wrong things, simply because they show up. It’s like I’m tuned in to Fox News and forgot I had the remote.
No more. As of now, an unapologetic goodbye to off topic filler in my feeds. Good bye to reading things that make me say, “Will you get a load of this garbage!” Good bye to static. I’m changing the damn channel, already. And hey, if you’re following me and my stuff becomes noise to you, just do the same — turn it off. You won’t hurt my feelings, it’s your feed, make it work for you.
More collaboration with smart people: I have some small back burner projects that may or may not turn into something good, something real. But even if nothing happens, it’s good to kick around ideas with people who have mad chops, who are smarter than I am, and who hold true to the same baseline values I’ve got.
If nothing else, these conversations remind me that I’m not alone and that my work has an appreciative following. It can be hard to slog away at the keyboard when there’s so little reward. I’m not always dependent on validation, I can be independent to a fault, but a group hug with people who make work I respect helps shore up the foundations. It helps me find true north, rather than the magnetic pull of a bunch of stuff that’s not right for me.
Less waist. Waste? No, waist. Whatever. I’m so not giving up coffee or cookies, no way, no how. Dieting? What? No. I like cookies. I also like pasta, toast, waffles, the twice baked almond croissant from Bakery Nouveau, mochi and a bunch of other things “they” say you shouldn’t eat. “They” can get out of my kitchen.
Three months ago I bought a ridiculously overpriced step counter. For the first week, I did… nothing. And I realized that damn, I am doing nothing too much of the time. I’ve lost a few pounds since I started trying to appease the step counter overlords and that’s good, but what’s better is that I’m taking my lazy self for a walk more and more. Some days I find it hard to get it done, some days, I’m worn. Occasionally, my day has me in 97 places and I can not find the time to get in a work out. But I’m gradually shaking the work at home lethargy. The plan? Continue. With cookies afterwards.
More routine: I’m still wrassling a non-fiction book project towards the finish line. I’m not doing a good job of it. With a mind towards seeking help, I registered for a class through Creative Nonfiction that was deeply disappointing. They may have great classes and teachers, but I can’t confirm that since my session was managed by an instructor who was barely present. I requested — and received — a partial refund, but more than my money back, I wanted a worthwhile coaching experience. Thwarted.
But. I told any number of friends I was taking a writing class and they laughed (Thanks, you guys.) They know what I know, that I don’t need to learn to write so much as I need to sit down and do it. The most consistent progress I made was when I wrote on a schedule, every morning for an hour before I switched to client work. I should get back to that.
Nothing big, see? Just an attempt to shift away from things that aren’t working and into things that are. I’ll fail, probably a lot, like I do every year. I’ll get bogged down in something trivial, or I’ll decide, temporarily, that napping is a sport. But hey, if I can go for a walk, scribble a few good things, and hang out with people who spark ideas, I’ll call it success. And then, I will eat some cookies. I like cookies. I resolve to continue to enjoy them.
But when you talk about destruction
Don’t you know that you can count me out.Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right.
All right? All right.
Image: Multiple sources, but let’s say Occupy Oakland because, why not?
re: “They” can get out of my kitchen.
ayup. just out of my life in general would be better.
also, the illustration looks more like “occupy eberhard faber” to me. 😉
happy new year, Pam!
A+ good job
No argument hear, especially about the pastry. I love pastry. I turned down the twitter noise some time ago-sometimes I do not want to be confined to 140 characters.
A good writer, and a successful one, told me along time ago that to be really, really good, you have to work at it. And treat it like a job.
It is a vocation, not an avocation.
Writing is hard. You are tough, tho. I have faith.
Your faith is amusing in its existence, Sharon, but thanks. And yes, I know this about the “vocation” thing and sometimes, I act on it. Other times… not so much so because oh, look, that doesn’t pay and money, well, that helps. But yes, work is work, and writing is work, but I think it might be a bit of both, you know?
I know the feeling of wanting to get back on track with things. The last couple of years have been pretty dismal in that way with me, given a lot of family concerns and events that occupied a -lot- of my time in the last couple of years…things that I had to do, but things that left me with little time to develop my writing and other travel-related projects on my list. Like you, I’m looking to get back on the get-off-of-my-butt and move track, walking more and just getting outside more regularly. The other thing is considering who I need to spend time with…and who I may need to spend less time with. My local writing group became so drama-packed and so much less useful in terms of getting constructive feedback on my own work or hearing work from others that inspired me to improve as a writer and as a person. I’ve been with them for a long time, but I took a two-month break from the group. I’m finding that I should probably move forward with something different that might be more right for me at this point.
Yeah, it looked like you had a helluva a run there, and I honestly wish for better health and less stress for you and yours in 2014.
As for writing groups — this was an experiment and a disappointing one at that, but mostly because I paid for leadership and got drive-by feedback. I should look around for one here, there must be only a billion of them, but I’m hesitant because I don’t want to be in a place that’s not dishing up solid, actionable criticism and most of what I hear about writing group feedback comes under the heading of “You go! How great you did all that work! Your writing is so nice!” No. That’s nice, but not what I need.
Truth be told, we’re still having a run…but it’s been a bit more manageable these days. I did sign on for a more “professional” writing group here in town that is more workshop and critique oriented…so we’ll see how it goes. Thanks for the good wishes…oh, and they just opened up a place that has chicken and waffles here in town…how about chicken-and-waffles -and- dancing? That sounds worth a try, too!
Sounds like my ideal year!
Copy>Paste>Use as template. Heh.
I so seldom comment on anything these days, that when I do I feel myself succumbing to some silly internal pressure to ‘be profound’, but this time I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your classy title and lede which made me read the post – and wish you well with your eminently sensible-sounding resolutions!
I have probably gone too far with the pnline noise filter this year and as a result have disconnected myself from one of the few things that made me feel part of the wider world. Maybe I’ll reverse that a little in 2014. Cheers anyway! Jools
It would be nice to see you back again, Jools, but hoo boy, do I understand the a)draw to engage in it and b)need to reset.
And thanks for getting the joke. 🙂
Happy New Year, Pam! Well done on the resolutions.
I agree wholeheartedly with your approach to fitness. I have always sucked at dieting and beat myself up for years about my weight. Then I discovered that although I’m dreadful at self-deprivation, challenge me to do more of something and I’m all over it. It turns out that, in my world, the answer is not fewer waffles, but way more dancing. Rock on!
“Not fewer waffles, but more dancing.” Rock on, indeed.
I haven’t always been this, uh, lethargic, but when I’ve been super fit, it’s because exercise is a regular part of my day — I was a bike commuter for decades and when we moved to the top of a big hill just at the edge of the city, the commute became a project, plus, mostly, I work at home so there IS no commute. Integration, you know? Right now, I’m watching Buffy on the treadmill, which is at least entertaining and a good break from my desk time, but when the weather was good, I’d take a walk outside during my day. Nice way to take a break.
Back atcha.